1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a nickel based alloy, and more particularly to a novel and improved nickel based hard surfacing alloy. One feature of this invention relates to the castability of this alloy, primarily for welding rods. Another feature of this invention relates to low temperature hard surfacing applications. A further feature of this invention relates to the weldability of the alloy.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known in the alloy art to employ cobalt-base hard facing alloys, strengthened by tungsten and containing chromium-tungsten carbides, in diverse applications where wear resistance and hardness are required, either alone or in combination with corrosion resistance and elevated temperature capacity. Cast wear-resistant alloys with compositions related closely to those of the cobalt-base hard facing alloys have also been widely used. In recent years, the price of cobalt has steadily increased, and supplies of the same have been severely limited due to political conditions in foreign countries from which cobalt is imported. Tungsten is also a scarce material. In order to overcome the problems of supply and increasing cost of cobalt, efforts have been made to provide nickel based alloys for use on tools and other parts which are subject to elevated temperatures, and which require high temperature hardness and corrosion resistance. Examples of such nickel based alloys are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,392,821, 3,385,739 and 4,075,999.
Experimental attempts have also been made heretofore to provide nickel based alloys for low temperature hard surfacing applications. Experimental attempts have also been made heretofore to provide nickel based alloys with good weldability characteristics, and which could be used for casting welding rods. However, the aforementioned prior attempts to provide nickel based alloys for low temperature hard surfacing applications have failed because of the disadvantage of poor castability characteristics. That is, the alloys produced by such last mentioned attempts were porous, and they were too "snotty", and would not produce a good welding rod. The term "snotty" is a word used in the casting art to designate that an alloy is too thick and gooey, and it will not flow into a mold. A further disadvantage of the nickel based alloys produced in the aforementioned attempts, is that they were low in hardness and wearability.